Web tension controlling mechanism for use with rotary printing machines



Jan. 9, 1934. A J. HORTON 1,942,964

WEB TENSION CbNTROLLING MECHANISM FOR USE WITH ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed April 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l mvzu'roa Jan. 9,- 1934. A. J; HORTON 3 WEB TENSION CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR USE WITH ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed April 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Jan. 9, 1934 WEB TENSION CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR USE WITH ROTARY PRINTING MA- CHINES Albert J. Horton, White Plains, N. Y., assignor to R. Hoe & 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York; Irving Trust Company, receiver Original application April 5, 1928, Serial No.. 267,705, now Patent No. 1,885,262, dated November 1, 1932. Divided and this application- July 11, 1929. Serial No. 377,509

9 Claims. (Cl. 242-75) This invention relates to improvements in web tension controlling mechanism for use with rotary printing machines of the type used for printing newspapers and similar products, and this application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 267,705 filed April 5, 1928,.

its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of the substructure of a printing press, showing a web roll support and the improved tension controlling -mechanism, the view being partly in section.

Figure 2 is a view showing a portion of the tension controlling mechanism as viewed on the line A-A of Figure 1 and in the direction of arrow 2.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of one of the roll supports showing the application of the tension mechanism thereto, and as viewed on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 in the direction of arrow 3, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view of one-side of the support showing the tension brake drum and adjacent parts.

Referring to the drawings, 11 indicates a main support or substructure on which the base frame of a printing press may be mounted. The main support 11 carries a web roll support that comprises a shaft 12 and a pair of arms, one of which is indicated at 13. These arms serve to support rolls of paper R1 and R2 at both sides of the main support, and from either side a web, as W2 may be fed to the press. It will be understood that another support similar to 11 is positioned to carry the other end of the shaft 12 and a second arm similar to arm 13 is provided so that the rolls are supported on both ends.

The arm 13 that is shown, carries mechanism for holding web rolls. This mechanism is similar at both ends of the front arm, and also on the rear arm not shown, that supports theother end of the roll. A description of one of these rollholding devices will therefore suffice for all. Tension devices for controlling the rolls while they are unwinding, also are carried on the ends of the arm 13 as shown, but it is unnecessary to duplicate these on the rear arm. The tension devices on both ends of the arm 13 being similar, the same reference numerals are used for both and but one description will be given.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the arm 13 has a bracket 14 mounted thereon, that forms a. bearing for the roll holding device and carries the brake tension mechanism. A brake pulley 15 is mounted to rotate in a bearing bushing 16, carried by the bracket 14; a sleeve 17, slides in the arm 13, and has one side out to form the rack 18. Meshing with the rack 18 is a pinion 19, which, when rotated, serves to cause an endwise motion of the sleeve 17, as will be hereinafter explained. A spindle 20 is formed with an integral collar 21 and another collar 22 is secured to the spindle by a. screw 23. The spindle is thus free to turn in the sleeve 17, but, endwise mo-.

tion of either, relative to the other, is prevented.

Secured to the spindle 20 is a feather 23' that is loosely fitted to the bore of the pulley 15; hence the spindle may be moved. endwise in the pulley 15, and in the arm 13, but the feather causes the pulley to rotate when the spindle is turned. The bracket 14 and pulley 15 and also the portion of the spindle to the left of the collar 22 can be omitted from the rear arm 13.

In the means employed for supporting the web roll, the spindle 20 has an extended portion 24 that fits into the hollow core of the roll and is tapered to facilitate its insertion therein, and the feather 25 is secured to the tapered portion 24 of the spindle and engages a slot in the core 26 of the Web roll R2. When the web roll is rotated, it will therefore cause a corresponding rotation of the pulley 15.

In the mechanism for engaging the tapered portion 24 of the spindle 20, with the roll, the pinion 19 is secured to the shaft 27, which extends through the arm 13 and has the hand crank 38 attached. It is apparent that rotation of the shaft 27 by turning the hand crank 28 clockwise, will move the spindle 20 endwise, and withdraw the tapered portion 24 from the web roll, and that a reverse motion will project-the shaft into the roll, thus providing a convenient means for supporting the web rolls so that they may be renewed readily. A locking device for the hand crank 28, is formed by the pin 29, which looks the crank to the arm 13, and holds the spindle 20 in the extended position. Means are thus provided for properly supporting the web roll so that the web can be fed therefrom to the press.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3, a shaft 30 is supported in brackets 14 and 31, and serves as a pivot for a brake lever 32, having two short arms 33 and 34. A brake band 35, is attached to the arm 33, extends around the pulley 15, and is connected to a threaded rod 36, which passes through a lug 3'7, depending from the bracket 31. The rod 36 is held by a hand adjusting nut 38. It will be understood that a clockwise movement of the lever 32, will tighten the band 35 and apply a braking action to resist turning of the web roll. A locking pin 32' in the lever 32, engages with a hole in the bracket 14, permitting the brake to be held disengaged while loading the roll and pasting. The brake mechanism just described need not be duplicated on the support carrying the other end of the web roll.

The floating roller running in a loop of the web is used for controlling the brake mechanism so that the desired tension is automatically maintained on the web being fed to the press. In the embodiment of the invention shown, a shaft 39 is carried in hearings in the support 11, and secured to the shaft are arms 40 and 41, which carry the floating roller 43. An arm 42 is also secured to the shaft and in the preferred construction has a member 44, which carries a sheave 45, and an elongated portion 46, on which a weight 4'7 may be adjustably secured.

The floating roller 43 will rise or fall as the tension on the web running to the press varies. This motion is communicated to the brake mechanism by means which may consist of a flexible cable 48, supported and guided by suitably placed sheaves 49 on the brackets 14, and 50 on the support 11. As shown in Figure 1, the cable is secured to the arm 34 that is carried on the right hand end of the arm 13. From there it is led around the adjacent sheave 49, then up and around one of the sheaves 50, then down and around the sheave 45 that moves with the floating roller, then back and around the other sheave 50, then down and around sheave 49 which is on the left hand side of the arm 13, and adjacent to the other arm 34, where the end of the cable is fastened. It will be understood that if the floating roller 43 is lowered by a slackening of the web the tension on the brake bands 35 will be increased, and if the roller is raised the tension will be lessened. Also it is apparent that the braking action will control the feed of whichever roll is running.

The guide roller 51, over which the web passes, is carried in bearing blocks, one of which is shown and indicated at 52, and it should be understood that a similar support, although not shown, is provided for the other end of the roller. .The bearing block 52 is formed with a stem 53, which slides in a bracket 54, secured to the main support 11. A spring within the bracket holds the bearing block 52 in the raised position and is limited in its action by the lock nuts 54', which are screwed on the threaded end of the stem 53.

Although not shown, it should be understood that means such as shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,124,673 may be used to rotate the shaft 12 in either direction to lower either end of the arm in order to bring the roll holding spindle in'.o alignment with the centre of a web roll carried on the type of truck generally used in newspaper press rooms. A web roll is loaded into the roll support, by raising the end of the arm wherein the new roll is to be loaded high enough to allow the new roll to pass under it when the roll is being carried on a truck. The end of the arm is then lowered and the spindle 20 brought into alignment with the hole in the core of the web roll. The handle 28 and a similar handle on the rear arm are operaied to project the spindles, and by raising the arms the roll will then be held so that it may be rotated for feeding the Web to the press.

During the loading operation the brake on the sheave 15 may be removed by moving the lever 32 and locking it in the relieved position, the spindle 20 may then be turned freely to align the feather 25 with the keyway in the core of the web roll.

As shown in Figure 1, the web is led from the web roll, between the guide rollers 55 and 56, over the spring roller 51, under the floating roller 43, and from there it is led to the printing cylinders of the press. If the web running to the press tightens, the floating roller 43 is raised, and this motion, as previously explained, reduces the pressure of the brake band 35 and allows the web roll to turn more freely. Conversely, a slackening of the web results in increasing the brake pressure. In practice,- a point of equilibrium is reached and a constant tension on the web is thus automatically maintained. The tension may be varied by moving the weight 47 along the bar 46 to which it may be locked by any suitable means.

It will be understood that the braking action is applied automatically to rolls carried on both ends of the arms 13 and that the web from a roll in either position may be lead to the press with equal facility. It will also be understood that the sheave 45 provides a connection to the cable 48 whereby the pull on both brake mechanisms is equalized.

What I claim is:

1. In a mechanism for feeding a web to a printing machine, a support adapted to hold two web rolls and arranged to move either roll from a loading position to a feeding position, and a web roll controlling mechanism including brakes for restraining the rotation of the rolls, a member movable in response to variation in the tension of the web, and an equalizing connection between the said member and the brakes, whereby the pressure on the brakes is increased when the web slackens.

2. In a mechanism for feeding the web to a printing machine, a support adapted to hold two web rolls and arranged to move either roll from a loading position to a feeding position, a web roll controlling mechanism including brakes for restraining the rotation of the rolls, a member movable in response to variation in the tension of the web, and equalizing connection between the said member and the brakes whereby the pressure on the brakes is increased when the web slackens, and means for holding either brake in a released condition.

3. In a mechanism for feeding a web to a printing machine, a support adapted to hold two web rolls and arranged to move either roll from a loading position to a running position, a braking device for each roll effective in any position of the support for restraining rotation of a roll, a roller supported to run in a loop in the web so that it is moved in response to variation in the tension of the running web, and a connection between the support for the roller and the braking devices whereby pressure may be applied or withheld from either brake.

4. In a mechanism for feeding a web to a printing machine, a support adapted to hold two web rolls and arranged to move either roll from a running position to a loading position, a braking device for restraining the rotation of each of the rolls effective while a roll is being moved from running position to loading position, a roller supported to run in a loop in the running web so that it is moved in response to variation in the tension of the web, and a connection between the support for the roller and the braking devices whereby pressure may be applied or withheld from either brake.

5. In a mechanism for feeding a web to a printing machine, a web roll support having two feeding positions from either of which a web can be fed, braking devices operable on web rolls in each feeding position, a floating roller running in a loop in the web being fed and moving in response to variation in the tension thereof, a sheave movable by the floating roller and a flexible member passing around said sheave and connected to both braking devices.

6. In a mechanism for feeding a web to a printing machine, a web roll support having two feeding positions from either of which a web can be fed, braking devices operable on web rolls in each feeding position, a floating roller running in a loop in the web being fed and moving in response to variation in the tension thereof, a movable support having bearings for the roller, a sheave rotatably connected to the support, and a flexible member passing around said sheave and connected to both braking devices.

7. In a mechanism for feeding a web to a printing machine, a support adapted to hold two web rolls and arranged to move either roll from running position to feeding position, a web roll controlling mechanism including a brake for restraining the rotation of each roll, a floating roller running in a loop in the web being fed and moving in response to variation in the tension thereof, a sheave movable by the floating roller and a flexible member passing around said sheave and connected to both braking devices, whereby movement of the floating roller acts to vary the pressure applied by the brakes.

8. In a mechanism for feeding a web to a print- 1 ing machine, a support adapted to hold two web rolls and arranged to move either roll from running position to, feeding position, a web roll controlling mechanism including a brake for restraining the rotation of each roll, a floating roller running in a loopin the web being fed and moving in response to variation in the tension thereof, a

movable support having bearings for the roller, a sheave rotatably connected to the support, and a flexible member passing around said sheave and connected to both braking devices, whereby movement of the floating roller effects substantially equal pressure of each brake.

9. In a mechanism for feeding a web to a print ing machine, a support adapted to hold two web rolls-and arranged to move either roll from a loading position to a running position, a braking device for each roll effective in any position of the support for restraining rotation of a roll, a roller supported to run in a loop in the web so that it is moved in response to variation in the tension of the running web, and a connection between the support for the roller and the braking devices whereby pressure may be applied or withheld from either brake; said connection comprising a ro-- 

